Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/07/15

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Gear wear and accidents
From: Doug Herr <telyt560@cswebmail.com>
Date: 15 Jul 2000 17:01:14 -0700

On Sat, 15 July 2000, Rick Dykstra wrote:

> 
> Gary Klein wrote:
> > 
> > Many guys
> > who get supplied gear usually have it looking really worn. Not all
> > photographers are hard on their gear or want to be is the final point on
> > this thread from me.
> > 
> 
> Here, here.  We use our camera systems to take photos in situations that
> are inconvenient, expensive or impossible to recreate.  We want to be
> confident that they are working properly. We need to avoid equipment
> downtime.  Avoiding unnecessary knocks and shocks and reducing wear is
> therefore a fundamental element of a photographer's craft and should be
> a source of professional pride, not something to be apologised for.  Its
> not bricklaying equipment. 
> 
> Regards
> 
> Rick Dykstra

I'll not argue with this.  At times I've seemed to boast that I've dragged my R cameras through all sorts of climates, burried 'em in snow drifts dropped 'em on concrete and popped 'em open with a crude screwdriver with nary a care but the reality is I want them to function well under all these conditions 'cuz (except for dropping 'em) that's what I gotta do to get the pictures I want.

IMHO a Leica in good condition is a joy to the senses but a 30-yr-old Leica in mint condition (for example) probably hasn't made any interesting pictures.  The Velveteen Rabbit is one of my favorite stories.

Doug Herr
Sacramento
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt
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